Bangla should not be barrier to technology adoption

Companies should introduce new technology in such a way that can facilitate and connect all. There should be sufficient online content in Bangla to learn about the latest technologies. Language should not be a barrier to the adoption of technology anyway, said Fahim Mashroor, CEO and co-founder of Bdjobs.com, in an exclusive interview with The Business Post’s Shamim Ahmed

In your point of view, where is Bangladesh now in terms of adopting new technology, and what possibilities it has in the future?

Any new technology is first adopted by the young generation of any country. As more than 60 per cent of the population in Bangladesh is youths, or capable of taking up new technology, so possibilities here are huge. But the problem is to reach those technologies to everyone.

Technology adoption is still much lower outside the cities. Lower penetration of smartphones and the internet along with costly internet access are the main barriers to spreading new technologies to people from low and lower-middle-income groups.

We have many applications like Uber-Pathao or Foodpanda, but those are used in cities only. How many apps are used in rural areas?

There are many applications that do not reach people who cannot write or read English. We have some e-learning sites like 10 minutes school that are reaching countrywide. But those apps reach a specific segment.

Companies that run businesses through technology, or use technology for operations, should think about how more people can be connected. Even the farmers in remote areas can benefit from new technology if it is available in their own language.

Many people cannot write on an English keyboard, voice search can be another option for mass people.

No big applications have been built so far that connect people all across the country. Even 70 per cent of customers of fintech giant bKash still do not use the bKash app for transactions.

So, new software or apps should be created keeping in mind that common people can avail and think it necessary for him or her.

Government can incentivise those companies that bring new technologies to mass people. Companies will never invest in projects that do not ensure immediate return. The government should ensure funding for long-term investments.

Besides, sufficient content on new technology should be available online so that people can know more about the technology and how it can facilitate their living and economy.

As a nation, we should use our own language “Bangla” in order to reap the benefits of the latest technologies that are rapidly changing the world. Companies should introduce new technology in such a way that can facilitate and connect all the country’s
people.

On the other hand, there should be sufficient content in Bangla to learn about the latest technologies and utilise those both for personal and professional lives. Language should not be a major barrier to technology adoption anyway.

For example, suppose an individual will purchase a “Fatua”, but he or she does not know its English word which makes it difficult to search online.

So, e-commerce platforms should provide an option to search through voice search by saying the Bangla word Fatua.

Why do you think Bangla should be used to adopt new technology?

Most of the people in our country are not accustomed to reading or writing in English. Will they be deprived of using the unlimited power of technology? Will they lag behind just because they are not fluent in English?

It is the responsibility of all of us to make the technology suitable for our language because it is not possible to teach English everyone in our country, even if we wish.

ChatGPT, the latest artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, has recently taken the internet by storm globally. Countries and regional companies will use the technology in their own languages soon to harness its maximum potentiality. So, technology should be available to use ChatGPT in Bangla.

“Let no one be left behind in the use of technology just for not knowing English” – this should be our pledge to the martyrs of February 21.